United States, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications - FamilySearch Historical Records: Difference between revisions

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{{Record_Search_article|location=United States|CID=CID1417475|title=Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications Files}}  
'''[[United States Genealogy|United States]]'''
{{US NARA HR Infobox
| CID=CID1417475
| title=United States Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications, 1800-1900
| location=United States
| LOC_01 =
| LOC_02 =
| LOC_03 =
| record_type = Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files
| record_group_nr = 15
| record_group_title =[http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/015.html Records of the Department of veterans Affairs]
| start_year = ca. 1775
| end_year = ca. 1900
| alt_flag = Flag_of_the_United_States_(1795-1818).png
| alt_flag_desc = US Flag 1795-1818 (15 stars)
| micro_pub_nr =M804
| micro_pub_title =[https://www.archives.gov/research/microfilm/m804.pdf Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files]
| micro_pub_rolls = 2670
| micro_pub_nr_02 =
| micro_pub_title_02 =
| micro_pub_rolls_02 =
| micro_pub_nr_03 =
| micro_pub_title_03 =
| micro_pub_rolls_03 =
| micro_pub_nr_04 =
| micro_pub_title_04 =
| micro_pub_rolls_04 =
| coll_series =
| arrangement =  Alphabetically by name of veteran
| NAID = [https://catalog.archives.gov/id/300022 300022]
| language =
| FS_URL_01 = [[GuidedResearch:United States|United States Guided Research]]
| FS_URL_02 = [[United States Record Finder]]
| FS_URL_03 = [[United States Research Tips and Strategies]]
| FS_URL_04 = [[Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783|Revolutionary War, 1775-1783]]
| FS_URL_05 = [[Revolutionary War Pension Records and Bounty Land Warrants|Revolutionary War Pension Records and Bounty Land Warrants, 1800-1900]] 
| FS_URL_06 = [[Revolutionary War Service Records]]
| FS_URL_07 = [[Finding Your Revolutionary War Ancestor]]
| FS_URL_08 = [[Revolutionary War Unit Histories]]
| FS_URL_09 = [[DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and SAR (Sons of the American Revolution)]]
| FS_URL_10 = [[United States Military Bounty Land Warrants]]
| FS_URL_11 =
| FS_URL_12 =
| FS_URL_13 = 
| RW_URL_01 = [http://www.fold3.com/title_467/revolutionary_war_pensions/ Revolutionary War Pensions]
| RW_URL_02 = [https://catalog.archives.gov/id/300022 Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service]
| RW_URL_03 = [http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2015/summer/rev-war-pensions.html Using Revolutionary War Pension Files to Find Family Information]
| RW_URL_04 = [http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1984/fall/pension-mobility.html Revolutionary War Pension Records and Patterns of American Mobility,1780-1830]
| RW_URL_05 = [http://www.dlar.org/ David Library of the American Revolution]
| RW_URL_06 = [http://www.dar.org/library Daughters of the American Revolution Library]
| RW_URL_07 = [http://www.sar.org/ Sons of the American Revolution Library]
| RW_URL_08 = [http://www.mountvernon.org/library/ The Fred W Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon] 
| RW_URL_09 = [https://www.amrevmuseum.org/ Museum of the American Revolution]
| RW_URL_10 = [http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/research/revwargrants.html Maine State Archives Revolutionary War Land Grants and Pension Applications Index]
| RW_URL_11 = [https://www.archives.gov/research/military/army/pensions National Archives: Pre-World War I U.S. Army Pension and Bounty Land Applications]
| RW_URL_12 = [https://www.archives.gov/research/military/american-revolution NARA: American Revolution]
| RW_URL_13 = [https://catalog.archives.gov/id/10639078 NARA American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783]
}}
== What is in This Collection?  ==
The collection consists of images of [https://catalog.archives.gov/id/300022 revolutionary war pensions] for the years 1800 to 1900. It is part of Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 - 2007 and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M804.


{{Contributor invite}}
The pension and land warrant applications consist of about 80,000 files. Each file may be a single card or may contain from 1 to 200 pages or more. A typical file is about 30 pages and includes an introductory card, an application, sworn affidavits, and other supporting documents that verify a veteran’s identity and service. The file also includes papers that show decisions made concerning the claim. In 1912 the Survivor, Widow, Rejected, and Bounty Land Warrant files were consolidated into a single alphabetical series.


==== Style Guide  ====
Pension acts were passed and amended many times between 1776 and 1878. In 1776 the first pension law granted half-pay for life to soldiers disabled in the service and unable to earn a living. A pension law passed in 1818 permitted compensation for service, regardless of disability, but was later amended, making eligible only those soldiers who were unable to earn a living. The pension act of 1832 allowed pensions again based on service and enabled a veteran’s widow to receive pension benefits.


For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: [[FamilySearch Wiki:Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages|FamilySearch Wiki: Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages]]
A veteran or his widow seeking a pension had to appear in court in the state of his or her residence to describe under oath the service for which the pension was being claimed. A widow was required to provide information concerning the date and place of her marriage to the veteran. The application statement, or “declaration” as it was usually called, was certified by the court and then forwarded, along with all supporting documents (this may have included property schedules, marriage records, and affidavits of witnesses) to a federal official, usually the Secretary of War or the Commissioner of Pensions. The applicant was then notified that the application had been approved, rejected, or set aside pending the submission of additional proof of eligibility. If an applicant was eligible, his name was placed on the pension list. Payments were usually made semiannually. A rejected applicant often reapplied when the law was later amended.


== Collection Time Period<br> ==
The Federal Government granted bounty land warrants, or rights to free land, to Revolutionary War veterans and their heirs. The promise of bounty land during the war was an incentive to enter and remain in the service. After the war, bounty land grants became a form of reward.


Most of the records in the files are dated between 1800 and 1900, although there is some correspondence dated as late as 1940. These records cover about 20 percent of American military, naval, and marine officers and enlisted men who served in the Revolutionary War.  
Veterans or their heirs who claimed bounty land warrants sent applications to the Secretary of War (later the Commissioner of Pensions and then the Secretary of the Interior). Also forwarded were affidavits of witnesses who testified of service performed, marriage records, and other forms of evidence. If an application was approved, the claimant was issued a warrant for a specified number of acres. He could then “locate” his warrant, that is, select a portion of the public domain to have in exchange for his warrant. The Treasury Department, and after 1849 the Interior Department, accepted the warrants and then issued patents to the land. Many recipients of Revolutionary War bounty land warrants did not relocate to their new land. They sold the warrants instead.  


== How to Use the Records<br> ==
Pensions and bounty land warrants were originally administered by the Secretary of War. In 1815 two bureaus were created, one for pensions and the other for land warrants. In 1841 the Secretary of War placed bounty land functions under the direction of the Commissioner of Pensions. In 1849 the Pension Office was transferred to the newly established Department of the Interior. In 1930 the Bureau of Pensions was placed under the jurisdiction of the new Veterans Administration.
 
Begin your search by finding your ancestors in the index. Name indexes make it possible to access a specific record quickly. Remember that these indexes may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.  
 
When searching the index it is helpful to know the following:


*The place where your ancestor lived.
Most of the records in the files are dated between 1800 and 1900, although there is some correspondence dated as late as 1940. These records cover about 20 percent of American military, naval, and marine officers and enlisted men who served in the Revolutionary War. Pensions and bounty land warrants were issued to compensate Revolutionary War veterans for their service. Later, widows of veterans also received benefits. Information recorded on pension and bounty land warrant applications is generally reliable, but its accuracy depended on the memory of the applicant and the records he or she had access to. Some applications were rejected if the information could not be verified in federal records or if the claim was suspected of being fraudulent.
*The name of your ancestor.


Use the locator information found in the index (such as page, entry, or certificate number) to locate your ancestors in the records. Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.  
=== Related National Archives Collections ===
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18471430 Family Bibles Filed with Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, ca. 1800 - ca. 1912. NAID 18471430]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/605836 Claims Filed by Revolutionary War Veterans, 9/16/1828 - 8/3/1835. NAID 605836]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/24200695 Applications for Revolutionary War Scrip, 1830–1847 (Military Bounty Land Script) NAID 24200695]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/567388 Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, ca. 1800–ca. 1900 NAID 567388]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6861417 Revolutionary War Bounty Land Scrip, 1831–1837 NAID 6861417]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1588363 Correspondence Relating to Revolutionary War Pensions, 1784–1815 NAID 1588363]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/300022 Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, ca. 1800–ca. 1912 NAID 300022]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2825004 Letters Sent Relating to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Military Bounty Land Warrants, 1821–1878 NAID 2825004]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18501151 Copies of Warrants Issued to Surviving Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary War, March 1828–November 21, 1828 NAID 18501151]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/210054984 Public Law, 9th Congress, 1st Session: An Act to Provide for Persons Who Were Disabled by Known Wounds Received in the Revolutionary War, April 10, 1806 RG 11]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1630201 Records of Pennsylvania Accounts for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1799–1817 NAID 1630201]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1663659 Records of Virginia Pension Payments, 1791–1834 NAID 1663659]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/607405 List of Pennsylvania Officers and Men Entitled to Donation Lands NAID 607405] See Numbered Record Books
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2601035 Case Files of Claims for Half Pay and Pensions Based on Revolutionary War Service, 1800–1859 NAID 2601035]
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/605894 Selected Final Payment Vouchers, 1818–1864 NAID 605894]


When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:
''' Digital Images '''
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/102035733 Register of Papers Submitted by Revolutionary War Pensioners NAID 102035733] Maine
*[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/102251070 Record Book of Proceedings on Petitions for Revolutionary War Pensions NAID 102251070] Rhode Island


*Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of enrollment to birth records and parents' names.
'''Related Articles'''
*Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of enrollment to find the family in census records.  
*Jean Nudd.''Using Revolutionary War Pension Files to Find Family Information.'' Prologue (Summer, 2015): 55-60. FS Library 973 B2p
*Use the residence to locate church and land records.
*Claire Prechtel- Kluskens.''Revolutionary War Pension Files - an Introduction.'' NGS Magazine 32 #2 (April-June 2006): 34-37. FS Library 973 D25ngs
*The place of death or burial could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members.
*Claire Prechtel- Kluskens.'' For Love and Money: Pension Laws Affecting Widows of Military Veterans'' NGS Magazine 42 #1 (January-March 2016): 35-39. FS Library 973 D25ngs
*Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. This is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.  
*Craig Roberts Scott. '' When a Revolutionary Pensioner's Claim Can't Be Found'' National Genealogical Society Quarterly 77 (June 1989): 128-132.
*Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family.
*Constance B. Schultz '' Revolutionary War Pension Applications: A Neglected Source for Social and Family History'' Prologue 15 #2 (Summer 1983): 103-114.
*When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.


If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:
{{HR Tip|This collection contains searchable content in the NARA Catalog.  They can be accessed by clicking on the National Archives identifier [https://catalog.archives.gov/id/300022 NAID 300022] in the Record Description.  Once inside the Catalog, click on the "Search Within This Series".}}


*Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
{{HR Tip|Images are also available in the FamilySearch Catalog at [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/306844 Revolutionary war pension and bounty-land-warrant application files].The files are arranged in alphabetical order. click on a reference to find a camera icon to see images.}}
*Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.&nbsp;


== Record Description<br> ==
{{HR Add}}


The pension and land warrant applications consist of about 80,000 files. Each file may be a single card or may contain from 1 to 200 pages or more. A typical file is about 30 pages and includes an introductory card, an application, sworn affidavits, and other supporting documents that verify a veteran’s identity and service. The file also includes papers that show decisions made concerning the claim. In 1912 the Survivor, Widow, Rejected, and Bounty Land Warrant files were consolidated into a single alphabetical series.
=== Index and Image Visibility ===
 
{{Image Visibility}}
=== Record Content<br> ===
 
Each application file includes some or all of the following genealogical information:


== What Can These Records Tell Me? ==
The following information may be found in these records:
{{columns-list|2|
*Veteran’s name  
*Veteran’s name  
*Age or birth date  
*Age or birth date  
Line 50: Line 119:
*Birthplace  
*Birthplace  
*Death date and place  
*Death date and place  
*Name of spouse or widow
*Name of person applying for pension
*Residence  
*Residence  
*Marriage date and place  
*Marriage date and place  
*Names of the children  
*Names of children  
*Ages or birth dates of the children
*Ages or birth dates of children
 
}}
== Record History<br> ==
== Collection Content ==
 
=== Sample Images ===
Pension acts were passed and amended many times between 1776 and 1878. In 1776 the first pension law granted half-pay for life to soldiers disabled in the service and unable to earn a living. A pension law passed in 1818 permitted compensation for service, regardless of disability, but was later amended, making eligible only those soldiers who were unable to earn a living. The pension act of 1832 allowed pensions again based on service and enabled a veteran’s widow to receive pension benefits.  
<gallery widths="160px" heights="120px" perrow="3">
 
Image:United States, Revolutionary War Pension Application of Abigail Hale DGS 004159131 00781.jpg|Application folder, Abigail Hale, widow of Nathan Hale
A veteran or his widow seeking a pension had to appear in court in the state of his or her residence to describe under oath the service for which the pension was being claimed. A widow was required to provide information concerning the date and place of her marriage to the veteran. The application statement, or “declaration” as it was usually called, was certified by the court and then forwarded, along with all supporting documents (this may have included property schedules, marriage records, and affidavits of witnesses) to a federal official, usually the Secretary of War or the Commissioner of Pensions. The applicant was then notified that the application had been approved, rejected, or set aside pending the submission of additional proof of eligibility. If an applicant was eligible, his name was placed on the pension list. Payments were usually made semiannually. A rejected applicant often reapplied when the law was later amended.
</gallery>
 
=== Finding Aid ===
The Federal Government granted bounty land warrants, or rights to free land, to Revolutionary War veterans and their heirs. The promise of bounty land during the war was an incentive to enter and remain in the service. After the war, bounty land grants became a form of reward.
A finding aid for this collection is available at [[United States Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files]].
 
== How Do I Search This Collection?  ==
Veterans or their heirs who claimed bounty land warrants sent applications to the Secretary of War (later the Commissioner of Pensions and then the Secretary of the Interior). Also forwarded were affidavits of witnesses who testified of service performed, marriage records, and other forms of evidence. If an application was approved, the claimant was issued a warrant for a specified number of acres. He could then “locate” his warrant, that is, select a portion of the public domain to have in exchange for his warrant. The Treasury Department, and after 1849 the Interior Department, accepted the warrants and then issued patents to the land. Many recipients of Revolutionary War bounty land warrants did not relocate to their new land. They sold the warrants instead.
To search the index it is helpful to know:
 
*The name of your ancestor
Pensions and bounty land warrants were originally administered by the Secretary of War. In 1815 two bureaus were created, one for pensions and the other for land warrants. In 1841 the Secretary of War placed bounty land functions under the direction of the Commissioner of Pensions. In 1849 the Pension Office was transferred to the newly established Department of the Interior. In 1930 the Bureau of Pensions was placed under the jurisdiction of the new Veterans Administration.
*The place where your ancestor lived
 
*The names of the soldier's spouse and children
=== Why This Collection Was Created? ===
=== Search the Index ===
 
{{Search Collection Link|CID=CID1417475}}
Pensions and bounty land warrants were issued to compensate Revolutionary War veterans for their service. Later, widows of veterans also received benefits.  
=== How Do I Analyze the Results? ===
 
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a [[Use_Appropriate_Forms#Prepare_a_Research_Log |research log]].
=== Record Reliability  ===
== What Do I Do Next? ==
 
=== I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now? ===
Information recorded on pension and bounty land warrant applications is generally reliable, but its accuracy depended on the memory of the applicant and the records he or she had access to. Some applications were rejected if the information could not be verified in federal records or if the claim was suspected of being fraudulent.
*Add any new information to your records
 
*Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of enrollment to birth records and parents' names
== Related Web Sites  ==
*Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of enrollment to find the family in census records
 
*Use the residence to locate church and land records
This section of the article is incomplete. You can help FamilySearch Wiki by supplying links to related websites here.  
*The place of death or burial could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members
 
*Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. This is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
== Related Wiki Articles  ==
*Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family
 
*When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
Revolutionary War Pension Records and Bounty Land Warrants
=== I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now? ===
 
*Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
== Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections  ==
*Look for a different index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 
*Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals with the same family number
A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: [[How to Cite FamilySearch Collections|How to Cite FamilySearch Collections]]  
*Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned
=== Research Helps ===
The following articles will help you research your family in [[United States Genealogy|the United States]].
* [[GuidedResearch:United States|United States Guided Research]]
* [[United States Record Finder]]
* [[United States Research Tips and Strategies]]
* [[US Military Basic Search Strategies ]]
* [[Beginning Research in United States Military Records]]
* [[Finding Your Revolutionary War Ancestor]]


Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above. Examples of citations:
== Other FamilySearch Collections ==
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.


*United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71
=== FamilySearch Catalog ===
*Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/306844 Revolutionary war pension and bounty-land-warrant application files, NARA M804]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/573816 Central treasury records of the Continental and Confederation governments relating to military affairs, 1775-1789, NARA M1015]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/573842 Correspondence of the War Department relating to Indian affairs, military pensions, and fortifications, 1791-1797 M1962]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/602360 United States. War Department. Office of the Secretary of War. Letter from the Secretary of War transmitting a report of the names, rank, and line of every person placed on the pension list, 1818-1819]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/719688 U.S. Treasury, Department, Accounting, Final Revolutionary War pension payment vouchers, Georgia]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/77488 Daughters of the American Revolution, Revolutionary War pension papers, 1776-1850, 44 rolls]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/201149 Pension files, service records, land warrants, 1775-1913]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/772761 Daughters of the American Revolution. Brigham Young University. Harold B. Library. D.A.R. Revolutionary War burial index. FS Library 8 rolls]


=== How Has This Article Helped You? ===
''' Publications'''
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/367492 Howard H. Peckham, ed. ''The Toll of independence : engagements & battle casualties of the American Revolution.'' Chicago, Illinois : University of Chicago Press, 1974 FS Library 973 M2ti]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1057575 Christine Rose, ''Military pension laws, 1776-1858 : from the journals of the Continental Congress and the United States statutes-at-large'' San Jose, California : Rose Family Association, c2001 FS Library 973 M2rm]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1911942 Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck,''Revolutionary War pensions : awarded by State governments 1775-1874, the General and Federal governments prior to 1814, and by private acts of Congress to 1905'' Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Company, c2011 FS Library 973 M2bLd]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/334133 Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck. ''Revolutionary War bounty land grants : awarded by state governments'' Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Company, c1996 FS Library 973 R2bo]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/463831 Murtie June Clark, comp. ''The pension lists of 1792-1795 : with other Revolutionary War pension records'' S. l. : Genealogical Publishing Company, c1991 FS Library 973 M2cmj]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/578023 Murtie June Clark ''Index to U.S. invalid pension records, 1801-1815'' Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Company, c1991 FS Library 973 M22c]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/767486 Craig Robert Scott. ''The lost pensions, settled accounts of the Act of 6 April 1836''Lovettsville, Virginia : Willow Bend Books, c1996 FS Library 973 M2sL]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1054915 Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck. ''Naval pensioners of the United States, 1800-1851'' Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Company, c2002 FS Library 973 M38b]
*[https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/235757 1813 Pension List]
*[https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/731683 1818 Pension List]
*[https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/463823 1820 Pension List]
*[https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/287874 1835 Pension Roll]


[[FamilySearch Collection Feedback|Send us your story]]  
'''Bounty Land '''
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1949572 Christine Rose. ''Military bounty land 1776-1855'' San Jose, California : CR Publications, c2011 FS Library 973 M27r]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/253710 Clifford Neal Smith,'' Federal land series : a calendar of archival materials on the land patents issued by the United States government, with subject, tract, and name indexes'' 4 volumes. Chicago, Illinois : American Library Association, 1972-] FS Library 973 R2scn  v. 1. 1788-1810 -- v. 2. 1799-1835, Federal bounty-land warrants of the American Revolution -- v. 3. 1810-1814 -- v. 4, pt. 1-2. Grants in the Virginia Military District of Ohio.
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/314740 Registers of Revolutionary War land warrants, act of 1788 : military district of Ohio, 1789-1805, NARA T1008]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/249409 Register of Revolutionary War land warrants, act of 1788; Military District of Ohio : entries for the years 1799-1805]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/267780 U.S. Revolutionary War bounty land warrants used in the U.S. military district of Ohio and related papers, acts of 1788, 1803, 1806, 16 rolls, M289]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/8635 Donation lands or military tracts granted to the officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania Line in the Revolutionary Army, 1780-1800]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/414179 Virginia. Office of the Governor. Bounty warrants, 1779-1860]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/474937 Virginia Continental Army lands, February 15, 1822 : roll of officers of the sixteen Virginia regiments of the Continental Army who received land bounty in the Virginia Military Districts in the states of Ohio and Kentucky]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/758280 Ohio. Auditor of State. Virginia Military District lands of Ohio ; indexes]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/723941 Virginia. Land Office. Military certificates, A-Z : July 14, 1782-August 5, 1876]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/412793 Virginia. Land Office. Military certificates, nos. 1-9926 : July 14, 1782-August 5, 1876]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/583036 Virginia. Land Office. List of military land bounty warrants : September 1, 1833-September 1, 1834]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/406376 Virginia. Land Office. Register of military certificates located in Ohio and Kentucky, nos. 1-6899, 8701-8850]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/583024 Virginia. Land Office. Military warrants, nos. 1-1320, 1328-5020, 8780-9969 : August 8, 1782-September 21, 1889]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1175964 Virginia. Rockingham County. Land grants, Revolutionary War, 1783-1832]


==== Style Guide ====
'''State Sources'''
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/980334 Jana Sloan Broglin, ed. ''Kentucky abstracts of pensions : Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Indian wars'' 4 volumes. Indianapolis, [Indiana] : Heritage House, c1999 FS Library 976.9 M28b]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/209076 New Jersey Revolutionary War pension claims, 12 rolls]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/432565 Pennsylvania. Revolutionary War pensions, 1785-1809]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/283665 Pennsylvania, Revolutionary War pension file, 1809-1893]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/432573 Pennsylvania, Adjutant General's Office, Revolutionary War pension accounts, 1807-1883]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/8635 Donation lands or military tracts granted to the officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania Line in the Revolutionary Army, 1780-1800]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/422979 Accounts audited of claims growing out of the Revolution in South Carolina]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/414074 Virginia State Library, Revolutionary War pensions and index, 14 rolls]
'''Local Sources'''
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1881490 Maine, Hancock County, Revolutionary War pension applications, 1818]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1779329 Maine, Lincoln County, Revolutionary War, pensioners applications, 1820-1824, 1818-1824]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1881493 Maine, York County, Revolutionary war pension applications, 1818-]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/596149 Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Revolutionary War pension papers, 1818-1825]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/248984 New Jersey, Morris County, Court records concerning Revolutionary pensions, 1779-1795]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/427615 New York, Delaware County, Revolutionary War pension applications, 1820-1832]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/379387 New York, Otsego County, Revolutionary War pensioners, Otsego County, New York, 1832-1844]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/710818 New York, Suffolk County, Revolutionary War pension request, 1790-1837, War of 1812, 1820, 1858]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/548963 Pennsylvania, Berks County, Revolutionary War soldiers' pension applications, 1785-1786]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/460644 Pennsylvania, Centre County, Revolutionary War pension declarations, 1819-1835]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/104124 Pension records of the Revolutionary War veterans of the United States] Chester County Historical Society
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/420368 Pennsylvania, Cumberland County, Petitions for Revolutionary War pensions, 1783-1800]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/7267 South Carolina, Laurens County, Revolutionary war pension applications, 1820-1830]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/241776 Tennessee, Roane County, Revolutionary War pension applications, 1793-1855]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/162559 West Virginia, Revolutionary soldier's applications for pensions, Harrison County]


For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: [[FamilySearch Wiki:Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages|FamilySearch Wiki: Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages]]
=== FamilySearch Historical Records ===
*{{RecordSearch|2069831|United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872}}
*{{RecordSearch|2070137|United States Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files, 1830-1875}}
*{{RecordSearch|1849623|Revolutionary War Compiled Service Files}}
*{{RecordSearch|2068326|United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783}}
*{{RecordSearch|2546162|United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783}}


== Sources of Information for This Collection:  ==
=== FamilySearch Digital Library ===
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/464461 James C. Neagles and Lila L. Neagles, ''Locating your Revolutionary War ancestor : a guide to the military records'' Logan, Utah : Everton Publishers, c1983]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/599248  Mabel E. Deutrich, comp. ''Preliminary inventory of the War Department collection of Revolutionary War records : record group 93.''Washington, D.C. : National Archives and Records Service, 1962]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/599018 Thayer M. Boardman, Myra R. Trever, and Louise W. Southwick, comps. Preliminary inventory of the administrative records of the Bureau of Pensions and the Pension Service, (record group 15). Washington, D.C. : National Archives & Records Administration, 1953]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/170431 Robert K. Wright, Jr. ''The Continental Army'' Washington, D.C. : Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 1983]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/117492 Benson John Lossing,''Field-book of the American Revolution : published under the patronage of the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution ...'' 2 volumes. Reprint of the 1850-1852 ed. published in New York, Harper and Brothers. Cottonport, Louisiana : Polyanthos, 1972]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/72773 Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, ''Revolutionary war records : Virginia army and navy forces with bounty land warrants for Virginia Military District of Ohio, and Virginia military script, from federal and state archives'' Washington, D.C. : s. n., 1936]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/85940-the-last-men-of-the-revolution-a-photograph-of-each-from-life-together-with-views-of-their-homes-printed-in-colors-accompanied-by-brief-biographical-sketches-of-the-men?offset=1 Rev. E. B. Hillard. ''Last Men of the Revolution'']
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/309454 American state papers : documents, legislative and executive of the Congress of the United States Class Nine Claims]


“Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications Files,” database, FamilySearch; from United States Veterans Administration . “Revolutionary War pension and bounty-land-warrant application files.” National Archives, Washington, D.C. FHL microfilm, 2670 reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.  
'''Pension and Bounty Land Publications'''
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1006837 ''Revolutionary War invalid pension claims, 1792-1794 : House of Representatives document 32, Second Congress, second session, 1792 ; House of Representatives document 51, Third Congress first session, 1794''Signal Mountain, Tennessee : Mountain Press, [19--?]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/834654 ''Pensions granted for military service under an Act of the Fourth Congress of the United States, 1795''Washington, D.C. : , 1796]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/602360 ''Letter from the Secretary of War transmitting a report of the names, rank, and line of every person placed on the pension list, 1818-1819''Washington : Printed by Gates & Seaton, 1820. reprint published: Baltimore : Southern Book, 1955]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/3714354 ''Letter from the Secretary of War : transmitting a report of the names, rank, and line, of every person placed on the pension list, in pursuance to the act of the 18th March, 1818, &c. January 20, 1820''Washington, D.C. : Gales & Seaton, 1820]
*[https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/282860 Census of Pensioners 1840 Census]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/499437-report-of-the-secretary-of-the-interior-with-a-statement-of-rejected-or-suspended-applications-for-pensions-february-16-1852?offset=1 Rejected or Suspended Applications for Pensions, 1852]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2684644 Catalogue of: Revolutionary War pension and bounty-land-warrant application files; American Revolutionary War service records; and general index]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2213140 ''The Balloting book, and other documents relating to military bounty lands in the state of New York''Albany, New York : Packard & VanBenthuysen, 1825.]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/274858 Charles J. House, comp. ''Names of soldiers of the American revolution : who applied for state bounty under resolves of March 17, 1835, March 24, 1836 and March 20, 1836, as appears of record in land office'' Augusta, Maine : Burleigh & Flynt, 1893]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/4329157 Charles Lofland. ''A list of all the entries in the Virginia Military District : and also, all the entries in the United States Military District of 100 acre lots, located since the first commencement for locating warrants for military services, to the present year'' Columbus, Ohio : P.H. Olmsted, 1821]


<br>The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: [[How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections|How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections]]
== Citing This Collection ==
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.
{{Collection citation}}
{{Record_Citation}}
[[Category:NARA_Military_Records]]
[[Category:Revolutionary War, 1775-1783]]
[[pt:Estados Unidos, Pensão da Guerra Revolucionária e Pedidos de Garantia de Recompensa de Terra (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)]]

Latest revision as of 17:29, 22 May 2024

United States

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United States Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications, 1800-1900
CID1417475
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.

United States
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Record Description
Record Type Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files
Record Group RG 15: Records of the Department of veterans Affairs
Collection years ca. 1775-ca. 1900
Microfilm Publication M804. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. 2670 rolls.
Arrangement Alphabetically by name of veteran
National Archives Identifier 300022
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
National Archives and Records Administration


What is in This Collection?[edit | edit source]

The collection consists of images of revolutionary war pensions for the years 1800 to 1900. It is part of Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 - 2007 and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M804.

The pension and land warrant applications consist of about 80,000 files. Each file may be a single card or may contain from 1 to 200 pages or more. A typical file is about 30 pages and includes an introductory card, an application, sworn affidavits, and other supporting documents that verify a veteran’s identity and service. The file also includes papers that show decisions made concerning the claim. In 1912 the Survivor, Widow, Rejected, and Bounty Land Warrant files were consolidated into a single alphabetical series.

Pension acts were passed and amended many times between 1776 and 1878. In 1776 the first pension law granted half-pay for life to soldiers disabled in the service and unable to earn a living. A pension law passed in 1818 permitted compensation for service, regardless of disability, but was later amended, making eligible only those soldiers who were unable to earn a living. The pension act of 1832 allowed pensions again based on service and enabled a veteran’s widow to receive pension benefits.

A veteran or his widow seeking a pension had to appear in court in the state of his or her residence to describe under oath the service for which the pension was being claimed. A widow was required to provide information concerning the date and place of her marriage to the veteran. The application statement, or “declaration” as it was usually called, was certified by the court and then forwarded, along with all supporting documents (this may have included property schedules, marriage records, and affidavits of witnesses) to a federal official, usually the Secretary of War or the Commissioner of Pensions. The applicant was then notified that the application had been approved, rejected, or set aside pending the submission of additional proof of eligibility. If an applicant was eligible, his name was placed on the pension list. Payments were usually made semiannually. A rejected applicant often reapplied when the law was later amended.

The Federal Government granted bounty land warrants, or rights to free land, to Revolutionary War veterans and their heirs. The promise of bounty land during the war was an incentive to enter and remain in the service. After the war, bounty land grants became a form of reward.

Veterans or their heirs who claimed bounty land warrants sent applications to the Secretary of War (later the Commissioner of Pensions and then the Secretary of the Interior). Also forwarded were affidavits of witnesses who testified of service performed, marriage records, and other forms of evidence. If an application was approved, the claimant was issued a warrant for a specified number of acres. He could then “locate” his warrant, that is, select a portion of the public domain to have in exchange for his warrant. The Treasury Department, and after 1849 the Interior Department, accepted the warrants and then issued patents to the land. Many recipients of Revolutionary War bounty land warrants did not relocate to their new land. They sold the warrants instead.

Pensions and bounty land warrants were originally administered by the Secretary of War. In 1815 two bureaus were created, one for pensions and the other for land warrants. In 1841 the Secretary of War placed bounty land functions under the direction of the Commissioner of Pensions. In 1849 the Pension Office was transferred to the newly established Department of the Interior. In 1930 the Bureau of Pensions was placed under the jurisdiction of the new Veterans Administration.

Most of the records in the files are dated between 1800 and 1900, although there is some correspondence dated as late as 1940. These records cover about 20 percent of American military, naval, and marine officers and enlisted men who served in the Revolutionary War. Pensions and bounty land warrants were issued to compensate Revolutionary War veterans for their service. Later, widows of veterans also received benefits. Information recorded on pension and bounty land warrant applications is generally reliable, but its accuracy depended on the memory of the applicant and the records he or she had access to. Some applications were rejected if the information could not be verified in federal records or if the claim was suspected of being fraudulent.

Related National Archives Collections[edit | edit source]

Digital Images

Related Articles

  • Jean Nudd.Using Revolutionary War Pension Files to Find Family Information. Prologue (Summer, 2015): 55-60. FS Library 973 B2p
  • Claire Prechtel- Kluskens.Revolutionary War Pension Files - an Introduction. NGS Magazine 32 #2 (April-June 2006): 34-37. FS Library 973 D25ngs
  • Claire Prechtel- Kluskens. For Love and Money: Pension Laws Affecting Widows of Military Veterans NGS Magazine 42 #1 (January-March 2016): 35-39. FS Library 973 D25ngs
  • Craig Roberts Scott. When a Revolutionary Pensioner's Claim Can't Be Found National Genealogical Society Quarterly 77 (June 1989): 128-132.
  • Constance B. Schultz Revolutionary War Pension Applications: A Neglected Source for Social and Family History Prologue 15 #2 (Summer 1983): 103-114.
Tip
 This collection contains searchable content in the NARA Catalog. They can be accessed by clicking on the National Archives identifier NAID 300022 in the Record Description. Once inside the Catalog, click on the "Search Within This Series".
Tip
 Images are also available in the FamilySearch Catalog at Revolutionary war pension and bounty-land-warrant application files.The files are arranged in alphabetical order. click on a reference to find a camera icon to see images.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.


Index and Image Visibility[edit | edit source]

Whenever possible FamilySearch makes images and indexes available for all users. However, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change. Because of this there may be limitations on where and how images and indexes are available or who can see them. Please be aware some collections consist only of partial information indexed from the records and do not contain any images. For additional information about image restrictions see Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections.

What Can These Records Tell Me?[edit | edit source]

The following information may be found in these records:

  • Veteran’s name
  • Age or birth date
  • Residence
  • Birthplace
  • Death date and place
  • Name of person applying for pension
  • Residence
  • Marriage date and place
  • Names of children
  • Ages or birth dates of children

Collection Content[edit | edit source]

Sample Images[edit | edit source]

  • Application folder, Abigail Hale, widow of Nathan Hale

    Application folder, Abigail Hale, widow of Nathan Hale

Finding Aid[edit | edit source]

A finding aid for this collection is available at United States Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files.

How Do I Search This Collection?[edit | edit source]

To search the index it is helpful to know:

  • The name of your ancestor
  • The place where your ancestor lived
  • The names of the soldier's spouse and children

Search the Index[edit | edit source]

Search by name on the Collection Details Page.
  1. Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know
  2. Click Search to show possible matches

How Do I Analyze the Results?[edit | edit source]

Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?[edit | edit source]

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

  • Add any new information to your records
  • Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of enrollment to birth records and parents' names
  • Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of enrollment to find the family in census records
  • Use the residence to locate church and land records
  • The place of death or burial could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members
  • Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. This is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
  • Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family
  • When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

  • Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
  • Look for a different index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
  • Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals with the same family number
  • Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned

Research Helps[edit | edit source]

The following articles will help you research your family in the United States.

Other FamilySearch Collections[edit | edit source]

These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog[edit | edit source]

Publications

Bounty Land

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Local Sources

FamilySearch Historical Records[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Digital Library[edit | edit source]

Pension and Bounty Land Publications

Citing This Collection[edit | edit source]

Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Collection Citation:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection.
Record Citation:
When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information.

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